Modern communication networks include an ever-widening array of systems and devices. In addition to traditional types of computer systems, communication networks now include a large variety of mobile devices. For example, modern communication networks may include, without limitation, pagers, cell phones, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, notepad computers, etc. Further, modern communication networks may include devices and systems that were traditionally stand-alone systems. For example, modern communication networks may include video and audio recording and playback systems, security systems, telephones, home appliances, automobiles, etc.
Certain networked systems may include a large variety of processing applications. For example, and without limitation, certain networked systems may include word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, multimedia applications, communication applications, audio and video processing applications, graphics applications, digital signal processing applications, data processing applications, user interface applications, etc. Such systems may, for example, include amounts of processing power large enough to perform numerous processing tasks simultaneously. Such systems may, for example, be communicatively coupled to relatively large amounts of memory. Such systems may, for example, have access to relatively unlimited amounts of electrical energy. Such systems may, for example, be communicatively coupled to various local and wide area communication networks, including the Internet.
On the other hand, certain other systems may include a relatively limited number of processing applications. The reasons for this may include any of a number of reasons, including but not limited to, limited processing power, limited memory, limited I/O capability, limited energy supply, etc. Such processing applications may also be reduced versions of related complete applications that do not include all of the functionality of the related complete applications. For example, a portable computing device may include a reduced version of a word processing package designed for more powerful systems. Such systems may, for example, include relatively limited processing capability. Such systems may, for example, include relatively limited memory and communication capabilities. Such systems may further, for example, include relatively limited user interface capabilities.
Thus, modern communication networks often include a dynamic group of systems and devices with largely disparate processing capabilities.